There is plan to upgrade some exisiting institutions to IIT like institutes (IIESTs). There are two big flaws in the current short list, as it did not consider regional balance and it did not consider NITs, some of which are better than the shortlisted institutes. We suggest alternatives and keep track of developements in this front as well as other IIT related initiatives, such as various branch campuses of exisiting IITs that are being proposed now.

Thursday, February 23, 2006

Calcutta, Feb. 23: The human resource development ministry today informed representatives of Jadavpur University and Bengal Engineering and Science University that they have been selected for upgrade to IIT status.

The decision was conveyed to the institutions’ representatives at a meeting convened by the ministry in Delhi to discuss the report of an expert team that conducted an on-the-spot inspection of the two universities in December 2005.The ministry officials made it clear to the two institutions that after the upgrade, they would have to admit students through national-level entrance tests. Under the present system, students are admitted to the two varsities through joint entrance examinations conducted by the state.

The ministry has also pointed out to the universities that once they are upgraded, they will have to appoint teachers from all over the country. At present, teachers working in the two institutions are mostly from Bengal.

Sources in the two institutions who attended the meeting said on the issue of governance, the ministry authorities informed them that they have decided to prepare a draft which will be discussed with the state government in detail.

“After the draft is prepared, the ministry will convene another meeting with the state government. The issue will be discussed elaborately with government representatives. The heads of the institutions will also be asked to attend the meeting. The governance issue will be finalised in the presence of the heads,” an official said from Delhi.The issue of governance is important as the state government had so far remained cold to the upgrade fearing that its grip over the two institutions would weaken if it came through. However, according to the ministry’s decision, the names of the two institutions will remain unchanged after the upgrade.

Senior state government officials were present at today’s meeting. This is significant because government representatives had not been asked to attend any discussion on the issue after the ministry made the offer on IIT status.